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Women of Color Only: A Lenten Practice

“Reading literally transforms who we believe ourselves to be in the world. … Without story, and especially the stories of marginalized communities, we find ourselves perpetuating systems of oppression that serve none of our best interests in any long haul.” —Marlanda Dekine, founder and executive director of Speaking Down Barriers

The complicated connection between words and systems was revealed, once again, near the end of 2017, when black women turned out in record numbers to vote against Senate candidate Roy Moore in Alabama, and white progressive Twitter exploded in verbal expressions of gratitude.

My bookshelf represents a poverty of influence. So for Lent, we — two white middle-class millennial women — decided to fast from white voices and white-dominated media. For 40 days, we’re committing to only read books, watch films, and listen to podcasts written or directed by women of color.

In surrounding ourselves with the perspectives of these artists, we hope to take one very small step into repentance of our own racism, as we become more aware of our personal blind spots and learn to identify and begin to dismantle our own unconscious biases.

From what are we repenting this year? What parts of ourselves do we wish to see in the ashes, and what parts at the resurrection?

We are acutely aware of our own limitations in this project. But we also know the importance of beginning somewhere. And perhaps we can be most effective as allies by first educating ourselves, and each other.

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Around the world, pastors repeated these words as they ushered in the Lenten season, with the cross-markings of repentance.

From what are we repenting this year? What parts of ourselves do we wish to see in the ashes, and what parts at the resurrection?

When I (Callie) undertook this project in 2017 — in which I focused my study on female and male writers of color — I was struck by the lessons I learned daily. Non-fiction books and theological works equipped me with new vocabulary and a revised sense of history. Fictional books and movies invited me to practice empathy and experience stories from a different worldview. Podcasts brought new voices into my everyday life, forming the intimate background noise of my exercising, dish-cleaning, and driving. Meanwhile, in the process of carefully curating my media diet, I found myself becoming more attuned to, and more outspoken about, issues of racial prejudice, bias, and inequality when I encountered them at work, at church, or in the news. Thanks to the voices of people of color, and the space made for listening to them, I was able to see shoots of new life growing within me at the end of Lent.

For this Lent, we have compiled a list of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays, and podcasts — some that have changed our lives, others that may be about to. We're sharing it here as a helpful starting point for your own journey. Where possible and relevant, we encourage you to pay for these works in order to financially support their creators.

It is our hope that this experiment will neither end on Easter morning, nor its transformations remain stuck simply to our bookshelves. Instead, as our own worldviews and theologies begin to shift, we seek to live into a new praxis: calling on our churches and communities to listen, learn, take concrete action, join existing conversations and movements, and ultimately, to heal.

We leave you with the words Ms. Dekine’s gave to us:

“Do it, unabashedly. Do not ask for permission, and do not brag. … Read the books, but with a posture of listening. The posture of unknowing. The posture of being out of control. The posture of a child entering in. You will not get it right, and this is okay. Just start. Start.”

Callie Dean is a musician, writer, educator, and program evaluator. She teaches applied research at Eastern University and is passionate about the role of the arts in effecting community transformation. She lives in Shreveport, La., with her husband and two sons.

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